I Have Something to Say
I’m at the laundromat and I feel the need to just write this out as I’m witnessing it.
So I’ve loaded my laundry in the wash and added soap to it and even put the softener in the little dispenser.
There is a family of 4 here: mom and dad and son (30 something but already balding) mom and dad are full headed grey hair, their daughter (late 20’s early 30’s).
I noticed them as soon as I walked in but didn’t notice anything odd, until minutes later their daughter started screaming - randomly and not words, just “blah. Blah bleh” but when she wasn’t screaming she’d speak out a few words “mommy - kissy” “daddy huggy” “brother - smile”
I carry on about my business and I smile at the family their patience and love shines through this warms my heart.
But as the screaming is persistent I notice everyone else just staring, snickering, and staring some more.
The man loading a machine smack dab in the middle of mine let’s out a huff - and then a groan and the persistent screaming of this clearly disabled child. I know I know she’s technically an adult but behaviorally and mentally she is still just a child.
This irritated me, I sat on the bench and watched as the machine started to slowly spin and water slowly rise in the window of the washer.
The more the man groaned and huffed the angrier I got. He was then on his phone complaining to god knows who, looking me up and down and speaking thinking I could not understand what he was saying- ok I know I look Hispanic but still I understood every word he said, when he got off his phone he looked at me and smiled and I smiled back and said to him.
“You know you don’t HAVE to be here, she has no control over her outbursts your judgement of what you don’t understand is ugly”
I got up and walked away. I didn’t think anyone heard me but a select few smiled at my remarks and others just hung their head in shame.
We live in such an ugly world.
So I’ve loaded my laundry in the wash and added soap to it and even put the softener in the little dispenser.
There is a family of 4 here: mom and dad and son (30 something but already balding) mom and dad are full headed grey hair, their daughter (late 20’s early 30’s).
I noticed them as soon as I walked in but didn’t notice anything odd, until minutes later their daughter started screaming - randomly and not words, just “blah. Blah bleh” but when she wasn’t screaming she’d speak out a few words “mommy - kissy” “daddy huggy” “brother - smile”
I carry on about my business and I smile at the family their patience and love shines through this warms my heart.
But as the screaming is persistent I notice everyone else just staring, snickering, and staring some more.
The man loading a machine smack dab in the middle of mine let’s out a huff - and then a groan and the persistent screaming of this clearly disabled child. I know I know she’s technically an adult but behaviorally and mentally she is still just a child.
This irritated me, I sat on the bench and watched as the machine started to slowly spin and water slowly rise in the window of the washer.
The more the man groaned and huffed the angrier I got. He was then on his phone complaining to god knows who, looking me up and down and speaking thinking I could not understand what he was saying- ok I know I look Hispanic but still I understood every word he said, when he got off his phone he looked at me and smiled and I smiled back and said to him.
“You know you don’t HAVE to be here, she has no control over her outbursts your judgement of what you don’t understand is ugly”
I got up and walked away. I didn’t think anyone heard me but a select few smiled at my remarks and others just hung their head in shame.
We live in such an ugly world.
36-40, F
